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This paper reviews recent approaches by developing country governments to include ordinary people, particularly the poor, in democratic processes so as to benefit the people and protect democracy itself. Three issues currently characterise all aspects of government: centrist approaches, fiscal constraints, and resistance to reform. There have been five types of approaches to political reform, including elected councils, user committees, and other mechanisms, as well as efforts to engage civil society and elites in the process. This paper discusses how these efforts can be facilitated, and how to tackle resistance to reform, before going on to look at ways to measure the impact of such reforms.